Amazon launches text-message shopping

[Kelemvor]

This looks cool.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s...=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

SEATTLE (AP) -- Amazon.com Inc.'s brick-and-mortar competitors have yet another reason to fear the Web: a new service that lets shoppers compare prices and buy things with a few quick taps on their cell phones.

Amazon TextBuyIt, which launched late Tuesday, lets people text the name of a product, its description or its UPC or ISBN to 262966 (that's "Amazon" on the keypad) from anywhere their cell phones work - including from inside physical stores.

If Amazon stocks matching items, the service returns two results at a time. Shoppers can immediately buy one of the first two the selections by texting back the number "1" or "2," or they can ask for more by texting the letter "M."

New TextBuyIt customers will be prompted to enter the e-mail address associated with their existing Amazon account plus a shipping zip code. The service then calls them and walks through the checkout process using an automated voice system. Shoppers get confirmation by text message and e-mail.

From there, the customers can check on order status on Amazon's Web site.

Howard Gefen, director of Amazon mobile payments, would not directly answer when asked if the service is meant to extend Amazon's reach by poaching customers browsing at bookstores or big-box electronics retailers.

"We think this is a great experience. We think they'll use the product...wherever they happen to be," he said.

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[nakedfrog]

Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

lol

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

lol

B&M employees are going to be more be bitter than ever....

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

lol

B&M employees are going to be more be bitter than ever....

I doubt they'd care.
Especially since most are not even commission based. Unless it's sears or something.
The managers might be bitter though.

Cust - Will you pricematch amazon ?
Staples Mgr - Can't do that sorry.
Cust - I'm ordering it from Amazon as we speak.
Staples Mgr - fine fine I'll pricematch amazon this time only.
Cust - "busts out a 40 off 200 coupon."

 

[trmiv]

I doubt I'll ever use the buying part, but I'll definitely use the price checking when I'm out and about. Now I can stop calling my parents or mother-in-law trying to walk them through looking it up for me.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: trmiv
I doubt I'll ever use the buying part, but I'll definitely use the price checking when I'm out and about. Now I can stop calling my parents or mother-in-law trying to walk them through looking it up for me.

same here Mobile IE is crap and my battery lasts like 10min with Opera

 

[Q]

Dumb

 

[Cabages]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

Well, you dont have to be an ass about it. I work at a retail store, and I prefer online shopping like most other people, but its probably not the associates fault if they cant PM it.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Originally posted by: Cabages

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

Well, you dont have to be an ass about it. I work at a retail store, and I prefer online shopping like most other people, but its probably not the associates fault if they cant PM it.

Come on now, this is ATOT.

 

[darkxshade]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

Store employee:

"In that case, I'll open this one up now and enjoy it in front of you while you wait a week for it to be delivered sucka"

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Cabages

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

Well, you dont have to be an ass about it. I work at a retail store, and I prefer online shopping like most other people, but its probably not the associates fault if they cant PM it.

I'd only do it to a manager if that makes you feel any better.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: darkxshade

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

Store employee:

"In that case, I'll open this one up now and enjoy it in front of you while you wait a week for it to be delivered sucka"

Psh, Amazon Prime, fool

 

[darkxshade]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: darkxshade

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nice...
"So, will you pricematch this to Amazon?"
"No, we can't do that."
"Oh, okay, I'll just stand here and order it from Amazon on my phone right in front of you."

Store employee:

"In that case, I'll open this one up now and enjoy it in front of you while you wait a week for it to be delivered sucka"

Psh, Amazon Prime, fool

I have no comeback for that

 

[mugs]

Very nice... I can see myself using this, at least for the price checking functionality. Sucks that my phone doesn't have a keyboard... maybe I'll consider that since I'm looking for a new phone now anyway. I buy a ton of stuff on Amazon.com... 50+ orders per year. I have Amazon Prime, so that makes Amazon.com much more appealing to me.

 

[dbk]

/giggles